Echoes In Time
by Adelaide Elizabeth Morgan
Summary: When Alwyne first meets Harry Potter, she is astounded by how much he looks like his parents, and can’t help thinking back to the first time she met Lily and James


"Anything off the trolley, dears?" Alwyne smiled sympathetically as the tall, red haired boy held up a package of squashed sandwich. Another Weasley, she guessed. Was he the youngest? There were that many of them she couldn't remember, she just hoped this one wouldn't be as much trouble as those twins; they were always playing their silly tricks on her.  
  
Her attention turned to the other boy who had stood and was walking over to her. He was smaller than the average eleven-year-old and much slimmer. Intelligent, bright green eyes peered out from beneath a shaggy mop of dark hair. Alwyne stifled a gasp as she recognized him. He was James and Lily Potter's son Harry. He had to be. She could faintly see the lightning bolt- shaped scar through his hair, which only confirmed her suspicions. Harry Potter was on his way to Hogwarts!  
  
She smiled and found herself becoming lost in the memory of the first time she saw young Lily Evans and James Potter. Indeed, it was the first time the pair met.  
  
As she did every year, Alwyne was making her way through the compartments of the Hogwarts Express, keeping a close eye on the first year students. She could hear sobbing coming from the next apartment and feel the fear and confusion the child felt. Although she was trying to hurry along, the two boys she was with were holding her up. One of them was a pale-skinned, white-blond haired Malfoy and most likely the same as all Malfoys before him. There was something strange, something untrustworthy about that family that Alwyne simply did not like. She didn't recognize the boy with Malfoy. He had lank black hair that looked dirty and greasy. His face was pale, his voice, however immature, was low and commanding. Dressed head to foot in highly starched black antiquated robes he looked as though he had just stepped out of the era the muggles had named 'Victorian.'  
  
When she finally got away from those nasty boys and looked into the next compartment, her heart broke at what she saw. A slightly built girl with long dark red hair was curled up on the seat staring out of the window. Tears were streaming down her face and her shoulders were shaking with the force of her sobs.  
  
"Poor thing," whispered Alwyne. She shook herself, gripped her trolley tighter and was about to slide the door open when she saw a young boy wandering up the train towards her. He was looking into each compartment, and then turning away dejectedly was each one was full. As he got closer to the crying girl, Alwyne slipped back, making herself invisible. She recognized the boy; he was from a good family, the Potters.  
  
Alwyne watched as he looked through the window at the crying girl and stopped, hand on the handle, chewing uncertainly on his bottom lip. He took a deep breath before opening the door and sliding onto the seat opposite her.  
  
"Are you all right?" He asked.  
  
She jumped at the sound of his voice and blushed, her face turning the same colour as her hair. She turned to look at him, furiously wiping her eyes. She smiled weakly, nodding to let him know she was fine.  
  
"I'm sorry for bursting in on you like that," he apologized. "Only the rest of the train is busy and... Well, you looked like you could use the company. I'm James."  
  
"Lily, Lily Evans." Her smile was more genuine as James moved to sit next to her. "I'm sorry, I'm not usually such a crybaby." She laughed at herself and shook her head.  
  
"Wait here a second," James jumped up and ran out of the door before Lily had chance to respond. He skidded to a halt at Alwyne's trolley and brought two Chocolate Frogs, one of which he presented to Lily. She looked at the package, frowned and looked back at James. "Just open it. But be careful."  
  
Lily looked very worried as she slowly peeled the wrapping off. "Chocolate! Thanks, James." She leaned over and was about to kiss him on the cheek, but fell back with a squeal as the frog leapt off her lap, landing on the seat opposite. It looked at the pair of them and croaked, before leaping back onto Lily's lap as though nothing had happened.  
  
"Best eat it quick before it does it again," James laughed, unwrapping and eating his own.  
  
Alwyne smiled, Lily felt so much happier again. Still scared, but better. She would have a good friend in James, that was certain. Humming to herself, Alwyne started back along the train, almost being knocked over by two more boys who were barreling along the corridor. They slid into the compartment where Lily and James were, crashing to the floor in a heap.  
  
A head with short brown hair popped up from the tangle of limbs. "Very sorry about that. Terribly rude of us in fact. Didn't mean to... Mpphhh" The speaker was pulled back down and the two boys continued what looked like a fight, rolling around on top of each other, much to the amusement of Lily and James. The tussle finished with the boy with dark hair sitting on top of the light-haired boy, grinning triumphantly.  
  
"Like Remus said, 'don't mind us'. He's Remus by the way," he pointed at the boy he was sitting on. "And I'm Sirius." Sirius got up and sprawled along the seat across from Lily and James. Remus sat up and dusted himself off, running a hand through his hair. He glared at Sirius, before folding himself onto the seat next to him.  
  
"I'm James, and this is Lily."  
  
"A pleasure, I'm sure," commented Remus, smiling at Lily. Sirius laughed, and mimicked Remus' speech patterns.  
  
"First time at Hogwarts?" Sirius' question was directed at James and Lily who both nodded. "Same here. Quite excited really. The castle is supposed to be an amazing place with ghosts and stuff, staircases that move. All types of things. Remus here can tell you all about it."  
  
The conversation grew from there and faded into background noise as Alwyne carried on her round, content in the knowledge that young Lily now had the three boys to look out for her at the school, though how long she'd need looking out for Alwyne didn't know. She looked back over her shoulder at the four laughing children before disappearing into the next compartment along.  
  
"I'm sorry, dear, did you say something? I was miles away then..." Alwyne was jolted back to the present day and found herself looking into the concerned face of Harry Potter.  
  
"Are you all right?" He repeated his question.  
  
"Yes, fine, fine. I was caught up in memories for a while, now what can I get you?" With a handful of money, Harry bought enough sweets to last he and Ron for the whole year, but Alwyne knew all the confectionery would be gone by the train arrived at the platform. The food was piled onto the floor between the boys who soon set to devouring it, Harry happily sharing it with his newfound friend. 


End file.
